Seascapes Read online

  Seascapes

  EVELYN GRACE

  Seascapes

  Copyright © 2020 by Evelyn Grace

  Three Strands Publishing, LLC

  PO Box Q

  Livermore Falls, ME 04254

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This novel is a work of fiction. The characters and events depicted are fictional and a product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual characters, living or dead, locales, or events is coincidental.

  Trade paperback ISBN 978-1-7345735-2-7

  eBook AISN B089QQT4NC

  All scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org

  Cover design: © K&J Couture Designs

  Cover photo: © Lisa-Anne Berry

  Author photo: © Click and Capture Photography

  For my Mom

  Joyce Evelyn Gillespie

  You are missed as much today as they day

  you left. Thank you for giving me

  my love of books.

  For my Mom-in-Law

  Trudy Grace Berry

  Thank you for always loving me like a daughter.

  Prologue

  The young girl lay in the middle of the oversized hospital bed looking frail and small. Her tiny body barely made an imprint under the blankets covering her. An IV line ran from her left arm up to two bags hanging above her bed. Oxygen cannulas were fitted to her nose with tape holding them in place on each cheek. Her eyes were closed as if in sleep, but she wasn’t sleeping. She had lots of practice faking sleep. She prayed this time it might keep her safe.

  “It’s okay, sweetie. This will make you feel better. Mommy knows more than these silly old doctors. Just hold still and let me give you this,” a soft voice crooned at her bedside. “I never would have even brought you here if that nosy old biddy who lived next door had minded her own business. How could she ever know how much I love you?” The voice began to rise sharply.

  The little girl stopped pretending to sleep and scrunched her eyes closed even tighter. Whenever her mommy talked like that, she never felt better, only worse. Her stomach was clenching in knots and her little fists were holding on to the covers of the bed as if they were the only things holding her world steady.

  “There we go, sweetheart. All done. You are such a good girl. Such a good, good, girl.”

  She always tried to be good for her mommy, but it was hard when she had so few days when she felt well. She always seemed to be sick.

  There was the sound of hurrying movements and the child peeked through cracked eyelids.

  Entering the room, a nurse demanded, “Ma’am, what are you doing? What did you just put in your daughter’s IV?”

  “What are you talking about? I didn’t do anything.”

  “We can see what goes on in this room on a closed-circuit monitor. I just saw you add something to your daughter’s IV line.”

  “That’s outrageous! I’ve been sitting here for days, caring for her, praying she finally gets better! I want only the best for my daughter. The care in this hospital is subpar to say the least. I’ll be talking with the doctor about a transfer to Children’s Hospital immediately.” It was obvious her mom had gone on the defense and quickly, as usual.

  “This security officer is going to escort you out of here. We have reason to believe you have been harming your daughter.” The nurse was scowling. The scowl scared the little girl. It was a scowl that let her know things would never be the same.

  Chapter 1

  The sun was making its way over the horizon, bathing the sky in varying shades of pink, yellow, and orange coming together in a breathtaking manner. All the colors blended to form a spectacular sunrise. The old sailor’s rhyme of “red sky in the morning, sailor take warning” ran through Kate’s head as she noticed the distinct red hue of the sky.

  She brushed it off and determined not to worry about what the day would bring. After all, worrying about what happened next had never stopped the event from occurring.

  The view along the boardwalk made her early mornings even more enjoyable. Kate had never been a morning person, but with the help of copious amounts of coffee, and this view, it was far more bearable.

  She loved living on the coast of Maine. The quaint village of Haven had been the perfect choice for her when she had been looking to move. The quiet sea-side town, with its boardwalk and sea wall, was the perfect mix of sea and sand.

  She drew in deep breaths of the fresh salty air as she briskly made her way towards her store. Even after all this time, she still loved knowing she owned her own shop. It wasn’t the biggest on the boardwalk, but it was all hers.

  Taking occasional sips from her travel cup, she soaked in the peacefulness of the day. Her straight brown hair blew in her face and she tucked it behind her ears out of habit. All along the boardwalk, other businesses were getting ready to open as well. She knew the day would begin to feel busy, but for now, it was quiet, and she drank it in along with her coffee.

  As she arrived at Seascapes, her small store, she began digging for her keys in her bottomless purse. She knew it was time to clean it out if she couldn’t find her large key ring in less than two minutes.

  Her mind began going over her massive to do list for the day to prepare for the upcoming summer tourist season. Inventory needed to be completed, so she could order new stock. She would also need to start interviewing for temporary help so they would be well trained before Memorial Day when out-of-staters began arriving in droves.

  She had hired Nancy just a few weeks ago to get ahead of the rush. However, Nancy was sometimes too gruff with the customers. Kate had taken pity on her when she showed up looking for a job.

  She wasn’t like the typical summer help Kate hired. For one thing, she wasn’t even close to being a teenager. Nancy had to be in her mid-60s, at least, although she appeared older with lines running across her face like hashmarks. Her grey hair was thinning, and she seemed to have a permanent scowl on her face.

  Nancy looked like she had lived a hard life. After all, she was searching for a part-time job instead of enjoying retirement. Kate had felt badly for the woman and had ended up giving her a part-time position.

  She was so focused on her mental list, and looking for her keys, she almost missed the small brown package wedged in the door handle.

  That was odd. She knew it hadn’t been there last night when she’d locked up. It was certainly too early in the morning for a delivery to have been made.

  Curious, she pulled it free. It wasn’t large. In fact, it was about the size of one of the jewelry boxes she used in the store. She looked it over for a mark of some type that would give her a clue as to its contents, or who had placed it there. There was nothing.

  It was a simple package wrapped in plain brown paper tied with twine. There were no postal marks or any other indication as to how it had arrived at her door.

  Tucking it into her purse, she finally managed to locate her keys and unlock the door. Walking into the store, Kate glanced around with contentment as she headed towards the front counter. The satisfaction of owning her own retail business still hadn’t worn off.

  Her store now had a firm place on the boardwalk after being open for the last two years. She enjoyed every aspect of running her own business and the joy of reaching her goal of being independent and self-sufficient made each day worth it.

  Sett
ing the package on the front counter next to the register where she could deal with it later, she headed to the back room to start getting ready for the day. The store wasn’t due to open for another two hours, which would give her plenty of time to start working on inventory.

  The deadline to order new merchandise was coming fast and one thing Kate disliked was missing a deadline. She thrived on routine. She enjoyed being focused on a task. Proficiency kept her busy and kept her mind from wandering.

  Just as she had settled in behind her desk and was waiting for her computer to boot up, she heard a familiar thump at the back door. Hurrying over, she swung it open. Blowing in like a gale force wind, her only friend and full-time employee, Fiona Gilliam, came in carrying two cups of coffee.

  Fiona was the type of person everyone wanted to be friends with. She was a vivacious woman of Irish descent, as her name attested. In stereotypical fashion, she had long curly red-hair and striking green eyes. She was taller than Kate at around five foot seven, but Fiona preferred wearing heels which gave her the illusion of more height.

  “Good morning,” Kate said with a wry smile on her face. She was quite used to the entrances Fiona liked to make. Secretly, she enjoyed them. Fiona was the opposite of Kate in every way from looks to manners and more. It was one of the countless reasons Kate enjoyed their friendship.

  Kate wished she were as outgoing as Fiona at times. She also sometimes wished she were taller. She could barely claim five foot three inches. She loved her friend all the same even if they were as opposite as could be.

  “Morning, sunshine! Here you go.” Fiona handed Kate one of the steaming cups of coffee. “Your second cup, just the way you like it. It’s going to be a glorious day today! Drink up and let’s get this inventory done. Low tide is at noon today and you and me have a date in the tide pools. Last night’s storm is sure to have brought in lots of sea glass.”

  Fiona was one of those people who enjoyed mornings, and Kate tried not to hold it against her. It really was a wonder they had ever become friends.

  Ironically, it was a morning just like this that had brought them together. Kate had been trying to dig her keys out of her purse, like she did most mornings. Just as she had almost snagged them, she had fumbled her purse and ended up dumping the contents on the sidewalk. Fiona had been walking past and noticed her struggle.

  She swept in, helped Kate find her keys, and picked up all her belongings. Then she had invited herself in. Fiona ended up helping Kate throughout the morning and before Kate realized what she was doing, she had offered Fiona a job.

  She’d never had a friend before, not one who counted anyway or one who was always there for her. But there was something different about Fiona that had drawn her in. “Fee,” as Kate affectionately called her, had managed to get past the defenses Kate had up. Kate hadn’t regretted it yet.

  “Fee, I’m not sure I can get away today. I have so much to do, not including the inventory. Nancy is still new and I’m not sure she’s up to watching the store alone.”

  “Kate, listen. Nancy has been working here long enough. It’s still early spring. At the ocean. It’s cold if you haven’t noticed. Mrs. Johnson will be the only one coming through to see how things are going. You know how she is. She could use a little snark directed at her and you know it.”

  Kate knew Fee was right. Her newer employee definitely had some snark to give out. “I need to talk to her today anyway about her attitude. If she continues to be so rude, she’s going to drive away customers. I should also get some job postings listed and see if any of the local teens want to work here part-time for the busy season.”

  “Come on, Kate. You know there won’t be enough customers to keep all three of us hopping today. We’ll miss out on getting more sea glass and you know the inventory is low without even having to look at the stock we have on hand. Last night’s storm will have dumped a bunch of glass. You know you want to come with me.” Fiona finished with a bright smile on her face. She knew exactly what buttons to push.

  “Okay, okay, okay. I’ll go. You’re right. You’re always right.”

  “Of course I am, and don’t you forget it!”

  As they continued talking, they had wandered from the back room to the front of the store near the display windows. The space held a presentation of beautifully crafted sea glass jewelry draped artfully over pieces of driftwood. There were also some hung like light pendants, so they seemed to float in midair. It was the reason so many tourists, and even locals, came to Seascapes.

  Kate and Fiona spent many hours during the fall and winter collecting sea glass from the beach and crafting their finds into necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.

  They used locally sourced sea glass as much as they could. It meant more work to collect it, but Kate liked to use what they found. It leant authenticity to their pieces. It also meant they had more returning customers every year.

  Seascapes also carried other items made by area residents. Pottery made from local clay, sculptures made from driftwood, and even photos of the surrounding towns added to the artistry of the display cases. Kate worked hard to support area artisans and as a result had a very eclectic display of products.

  “Hey, what’s this?” Fiona asked Kate. She held up the package Kate had left by the register.

  “I’m not sure. It was wedged in the door when I opened this morning. I have no idea what it is.”

  “Mystery package, huh? Well, get the scissors and let’s find out what’s inside!” Fiona was always excited about life and mysteries. She was practically rubbing her hands together in anticipation.

  It was another thing Kate loved about her friend. Life was never dull when she was around. As much as Kate enjoyed her solitude, she also loved spending time with Fee and seeing life through her eyes. She knew her own view of life was often more cynical.

  Grabbing the scissors from the holder on the counter, Kate cut the twine. Unwrapping the paper, they found a simple box. Kate slit the tape holding it closed. Inside, amongst brown paper, was a cardboard jewelry box. The top of the box had the logo for Kate’s store stamped on it. The two women exchanged puzzled glances as Kate slowly pulled the cover off the box.

  Nestled inside, on a bed of cotton, was a necklace. It was obviously hand crafted. The necklace was made to display a beautiful piece of red sea glass. The glass had almost a heart shape to it. There was silver wire wrapped artfully around it, holding it in its setting. A simple, worn, silver chain was threaded through a loop in the top of the wire. Nothing else set it apart. In all actuality, other than the color of the glass, there was nothing unusual about the necklace aside from the way it had arrived at the shop.

  “It’s beautiful!” Fiona breathed. “Is there a note or something inside? I’ve never seen such a gorgeous piece of red glass before.”

  All the color had drained from Kate’s face. Her normally pale complexion had managed to go even whiter. She was breathing shallowly, almost panting, on the verge of hyperventilating. Her eyes were wide, and she looked as if she might pass out at any moment.

  Chapter 2

  Peter sighed as he laid his head on the back of his chair. He had thought coming to Haven was what God wanted. When the opportunity had come up to help revitalize a dying church in a small Maine coastal town, he had thought it was perfect for him. It helped that he had wonderful memories of coming here with his family when he was a teenager. His parents always had a bunch of kids with them on those vacations.

  Chuckling, Peter thought they must have made quite the sight when they showed up in town. They were always in some type of beat up van pulling an even more beat up trailer with supplies to last a week. Camping was cheap. The outside was free. The beach was a perfect place to let a lot of little ones run around, digging in the sand and boogie boarding on the waves.

  It had made the long drive to and from Haven worth it. The time spent here camping was always fun, even when it rained. He remembered one year when it had seemed to do nothing but rain the
entire time. It had taken him weeks after to finally feel dry.

  It was the most fun some of the kids his parents cared for ever had in their lives. His parents had been foster parents when he was growing up. There were always kids coming and going from their house.

  Some kids lasted a few days either for respite care or until their parents recovered from whatever had forced their removal in the first place. Others had stayed a few months and some had even stayed a few years. Then there were the others who had stayed forever.

  His family had grown by four siblings during that time. He was sure it was only restraints on his parents’ time that kept him from having more adopted siblings. His parents had always loved having kids of all ages and sizes around. They had a gift of relating to even the most hardened of hearts.

  Now they showered it all on their many grandchildren. Given that Peter had seven siblings, biological and adopted, there were more than just a few grands around to spoil.

  It was memories like those blissful days at the sea, which had made him jump at the chance to move to Haven. But had he jumped because he wanted to or because God wanted him to? He had thought he had been listening closely but maybe his own desire had gotten in the way.

  Peter thought back again to the times when some of his foster siblings had arrived at their home. They had come with such sad faces, almost defeated, and often with all their belongings in a trash bag. Some had also come in with a look that said they’d seen far too much in their lives. Others had come ready for a fight. His parents always seemed to know how to handle each and every one.

  He grinned as he thought of his brother. Drew had arrived at the Grant home not long before they had begun taking their vacations to Haven. He had been one of the ones who had shown up looking like he was ready to strike someone. He had been around fourteen when he arrived. Peter himself had been just older at sixteen.